MILPITAS, Calif., April 2, 2010 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Spot LLC, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Globalstar Inc. (Nasdaq:GSAT) and a leader in personal satellite messaging and emergency communications, today announced that it has partnered with RaceTracker to provide a safety and tracking solution to competitors at the 25th annual Sultan Marathon Des Sables adventure race in Morocco. The enhanced next generation SPOT Satellite GPS Messenger™ will be carried by competitors in order for race organizers and fans to track their progress online between April 4 and 11th 2010 on www.darbaroud.com.
The Sultan Marathon Des Sables features international teams of co-ed athletes competing in a grueling 200 km adventure race through the Moroccan Desert. One hundred competitors will be equipped with the SPOT Satellite GPS Messenger™ which sends location-based signals via a global satellite network allowing for real-time public viewing on SPOT enhanced Google Maps™.
Due to the remoteness of the race, the SPOT Satellite GPS Messenger™ will also provide competitors and race staff with satellite-based messaging and emergency communications, independent of mobile networks to assist with on-course safety.
"SPOT is the perfect partner for the RaceTracker solution that we have developed for the extreme conditions of the Marathon Des Sables race," said Tracking Solutions Business Development Manager, Quim Tomas. "Their new SPOT Messenger is ideal for tracking the competitors in real-time online. Additionally, its smaller size and ruggedness makes it highly desirable for the athletes and the race organizers."
The new handheld SPOT Satellite GPS Messenger™ is the second generation in the SPOT product line following the award-winning SPOT Satellite Personal Tracker™ offering a robust and intuitive user experience in a smaller, more compact size. New features include advanced GPS, a new Custom Message mode and a dedicated button for GPS Tracking. Additionally, the new SPOT comes equipped with GPS acquisition and message sending LED confirmation. In an emergency, SPOT will transmit an SOS message alert to an International Emergency Response Center with the SPOT owner's GPS location updated every 5 minutes. Since market introduction, the SPOT product line has initiated more than 550 rescues in 51 countries and at sea.
"The Sultan Marathon Des Sables is one of the most intense and demanding human endurance races in the world and we are pleased to partner with RaceTracker in order to provide a vital safety and tracking solution to such a prestigious event," said Spot LLC Global Marketing Director, Katie Schoeben.
About RaceTracker
RaceTracker is an online tracking and communication solution developed by Tracking Solutions S.L. for the outdoor activities market. It provides an innovative way to follow online sports activities and events anywhere in the world in real time. RaceTracker gives outdoor competitors and event management all the tools needed (live online tracking, customized image, exclusive communication channels and multimedia content management, etc.) to ensure fan loyalty, maximum visibility and increased audience penetration. RaceTracker is also a perfect platform to manage and guarantee the security of outdoor competitors as well as an innovative marketing platform. The platform enables perfect brand visibility amongst core target audiences including competitors and the wider outdoor consumer market. For more information about RaceTracker, visit www.racetracker.es.
About Sultan Marathon Des Sables
This year, the Sultan Marathon Des Sables celebrates its 25th anniversary. Since 1986, the event has welcomed over 10,000 competitors from over 40 countries. Behind this great event lies a great cause. For several years, the Marathon Des Sables organizational team, in collaboration with other associations, has been contributing equipment to the local people including solar powered pumps, school materials, sanitary development and craft work-shops. During the 25th Sultan Marathon Des Sables (which will take place from April 4th to 11th 2010), race organizers will undertake a full scale trial of the RaceTracker solution.
About Spot LLC
Spot LLC, a subsidiary of Globalstar, Inc. (Nasdaq:GSAT), provides lifesaving communications technology that allows users to communicate from remote locations around the globe. The SPOT product family uses both the GPS satellite network to determine a customer's location and the SPOT network to transmit that information to friends, family or an emergency service call center. Thanks to this affordable, cutting-edge personal safety device, the company offers people peace of mind by allowing customers to notify friends and family of their location and status, and to send for emergency assistance in time of need, completely independent of cellular phone or wireless coverage. For more information on how Spot LLC is helping users live to tell about it -- from disaster preparedness to outdoor adventure purposes -- visit www.globenewswire.com/newsroom/ctr%3Fd=174339%26amp;l=8%26amp;a=www.findmespot.com%26amp;u=http%253A%252F%252Fwww.findmespot.com" target="_top" rel="nofollow">www.findmespot.com.